Thank you everyone, for all the information and advice!
He is 8, going into Grade 3. Foreign language is required in all American international schools in Europe, from Grade K on up, but he cannot speak any of the ones he's studied (different ones each year) fluently. My husband and I are basically monolingual, and only English is spoken in our home.
The tester's 1st language was French, then German, then English--though she also speaks Dutch. Her accent was non-existent in English (she studied in England and elsewhere, not here). She was fluent on the phone and via email, as well--which was the deal breaker, for me. I would not have let her test him, if I thought she and he would not be able to understand each other.
As far as test environment, he may have displayed "normal" behaviors (for him), ie: perfectionism and hesitating if he thinks he might get something wrong; dawdling or indifference when things bore him; plowing thru things which he knows well, without regard to legibility, etc.
Oddly, his cursive writing is beautiful, but he labors over printing. He said he prefers cursive, ie: it's easier and faster for him. Does that matter, in re: the testing?
I will ask her about all that when we go back.
Looking at the info online so far, provided to me by you and my teacher friend back home, I guess my next questions are:
What other tests should I ask for, if retesting is desired or suggested? If I suggest retesting, not her, is that offensive to the tester? What if she says no?
I want to avoid, at all costs, being seen as difficult, interfering, or intrusive in this situation. I do not want anything I do to impact how my child is treated, or affect the level, quality and access to help, if offered now, or received later.
How do we delve deeper into the possible deficits revealed by this test--if in fact the test is accurate, and they are deficits?
What tests would help my son best, with that?
How do we address the possible ambiguity/unreliability of this particular test, with his school?
We had to pay $1300 to have him tested here to start with. To do additional testing may cost more. And none of it is apprently covered by insurance here or back home, ie: major medical insurance we pay for here (called DKV) and in the US (Select Blue, by Highmark, Blue Cross/Blue Shield).
I want him to be challenged as much as he can be, and also have any weaknesses addressed. And above all, I want him to be happy in school, and to stay that way. I often see him being either thrilled to death, or sad beyond sadness, over his school experiences, and I want him to have a more even, smooth experience than that.
BTW, he LOVED the testing, it didn't scare or upset him at all. On the night of the first test day, he said "I can't wait to go back and spend time with her. She said I get to have more fun tomorrow! Maybe there'll even be math!"
So if retesting is the issue, we can do it. It doesn't seem to have hurt him, and if it helps him in the end, I'm willing if he is.
I just need to save some money up to be able to do that! And I want to be sure to get the best, most reliable tests for my money that I can.
School starts August 24th, so I won't be able to retest prior that that, in any case.
